Bayern Munich - The African Mirror

Apr

2024

Leverkusen secure maiden Bundesliga title with 5-0 win over Bremen

Undefeated Bayer Leverkusen secured their first Bundesliga title on Sunday with a 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen, breaking an 11-year stranglehold on the league by Bayern Munich. Xabi Alonso's team, who have now gone a league-record 29 matches without defeat this season to secure their first trophy since 1993, have a 16-point lead over Bayern with five matches remaining. Leverkusen left nothing to chance and sealed their title win at the first opportunity with Florian Wirtz bagging a hat-trick in a win that stretched their unbeaten run across all competitions to a remarkable 43 games this season. They earned a…

Apr

2024

By The African Mirror

Bayern battle past Cologne to end losing run, Coman out for weeks

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BAYERN Munich struck twice in the second half to earn a 2-0 win over Cologne and bounce back from two straight league losses ahead of their Champions League return leg against Arsenal next week. With Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen 13 points ahead and poised to wrap up their first league title with a win over Werder Bremen on Sunday, Bayern's only hope of silverware this season rests with the Champions League following their 2-2 draw in the first leg in London. They suffered a serious injury blow, however, with winger Kingsley Coman taken off in the 50th minute and ruled…

Apr

2024

By The African Mirror

Talking points from European soccer

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TALKING points from the weekend in European soccer leagues: ITALY ALLEGRI UNDER PRESSURE The season has changed quickly for Juventus and manager Massimiliano Allegri. After their loss against Lazio on Saturday, Juve have only one win in the last nine Serie A matches from which they have gained seven points. What had looked like shaping up to be a title battle with leaders Inter Milan before Christmas, has transformed into a struggle to achieve a top-four spot, a goal clearly stated by Allegri on several occasions. If Bologna and AS Roma win their respective matches on Monday, they will be…

Mar

2024

By The African Mirror

Talking points from European soccer

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Talking points from the weekend in European soccer leagues: FRANCE NICE IN A RUT Nice's promising start to the season feels like a distant memory as they extended their winless streak to six league matches with a 2-1 loss to Montpellier on Friday. Manager Francesco Farioli admitted it was a difficult time for the club, which seemed unstoppable just four months ago. "The efforts the players put in to keep the team at the top of the table for six months required a lot of physical and mental energy," he said. With Nice in sixth place and 16 points behind…

Dec

2023

By The African Mirror

Only bleak reality in Theatre of Dreams as Man Utd hit new low

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FAR from being the Theatre of Dreams, Old Trafford provided a horribly bleak dose of reality for Manchester United fans as they went out of Europe with a whimper. A season in which United have already lost half of their 24 matches in all competitions plumbed new depths as they slumped to a 1-0 loss at home to a Bayern Munich side in third gear. It condemned Erik ten Hag's side to bottom place in their group with just four points -- their lowest total in the Champions League group stage -- while the 15 goals they conceded in six…

Dec

2023

By The African Mirror

Talking points from European soccer

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Talking points from the weekend in European soccer leagues: NETHERLANDS IT'S NOT OVER BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION Victory for PSV Eindhoven away at Dutch champions Feyenoord on Sunday extended their 100% start to the season to 14 games and increased their lead to 10 points. But for those pundits, supporters and even players who think the title race is close to being settled, PSV coach Peter Bosz issued a rebuttal: “Nonsense. We’ve played 14 games but there are another 20 to come. We’re not even halfway. You can lose three games in a row and suddenly your lead…

Nov

2023

By The African Mirror

From refugee camp to Munich, Bayern sign Australian Irankunda

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BUNDESLIGA giants Bayern Munich have signed Australian teenager Nestory Irankunda from Adelaide United on a long-term deal starting in July next year after he turns 18. The pacey 17-year-old winger was born in a Tanzanian refugee camp to Burundian parents before moving to Perth as an infant and then on to Adelaide, where he took up the game. Irankunda has represented his adopted country at under-17 level and was on the bench for two Socceroos international friendlies this year but did not get on the pitch. "It's really unbelievable," Irankunda told the A-League website. "There were multiple teams interested and…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

Talking points from European soccer

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TALKING points from the weekend in European soccer leagues: SPAIN GIRONA KEEP IMPRESSING IN BELLINGHAM'S LALIGA Real Madrid's England midfielder Jude Bellingham has dominated headlines again after another magnificent performance, scoring twice to secure a 2-1 win at Barcelona on Saturday. But Real do not have LaLiga's title race all their own way as Girona are level on 28 points with the Spanish giants after beating Celta Vigo 1-0 on Friday, their ninth win in 11 games. The surprise package of the season so far, Girona's 3-0 defeat at home to Real in late September are the only points dropped…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Tuchel’s Bayern stumble again in home draw with Hoffenheim

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BAYERN Munich conceded a 71st-minute free kick to draw 1-1 at home against Hoffenheim at the end of a turbulent week for the champions but they stayed two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with six games remaining. It was Bayern's latest slip-up under coach Thomas Tuchel following last week's German Cup exit to Freiburg and Tuesday's 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg loss at Manchester City. The league draw had only limited impact after second-placed Borussia Dortmund squandered a two-goal lead and conceded a stoppage-time equaliser in their 3-3 draw at VfB Stuttgart to remain two points behind…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Bayern drop Mane from squad for Saturday game over Sane clash

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BAYERN Munich's Sadio Mane will not be part of the squad for Saturday's Bundesliga game against Hoffenheim and has been fined over a row he had with teammate Leroy Sane, the club said. Senegal international Mane clashed with Sane at the end of their 3-0 loss at Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday. "Sadio Mane will not be included in the FC Bayern squad for this Saturday's home match against 1899 Hoffenheim," the club said in a statement. "This is due to his misconduct after Bayern's Champions League match at Manchester City. Mane will also…